As understanding of diseases like Alzheimers', Cerebral Palsy and others increases, so does the need to provide more meaningful treatment and care to patients with these problems. Generally, diseases like these are progressive, rendering the patient less and less able to handle even the simplest of physical tasks. Mental capabilities decrease or are limited by the disease itself and the patient is confined to a wheel or stationary chair with little to do as his or her capabilities diminish.
Currently, patients are repetitively redirected by caregivers to perform routine household tasks or home-making chores such as folding towels, sweeping floors, or setting a table. Caregivers are required to provide increasing care to the patient as the disease progresses to the point of one-on-one care. This significantly increases the cost of care and the frustration level of both the patient and caregiver.
It remains desirable to provide a system of care alternatives for patients suffering from dementia which offers increased stimulation both mentally and physically at their current level of capability. Such a system should be designed to easily increase or decrease the specific level of stimulation for each individual patient. For example, the system should contemplate stimulation ranging from low functions which deal with recognition of basic colors, shapes, and surface textures to moderate functions which includes simple dynamic movement and high functions which comprise control of lights and sounds. It is highly desirable that such systems provide a variety of mounting arrangements, all of which are safe and convenient for the patient. Properly used, this system should provide a respite for the caregiver as the patient is redirected to specific tasks designed for the discrete functional level.